second-guessing

verb

present participle of second-guess
1
as in outguessing

Related Words

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2
as in reasoning

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for second-guessing
  1. balking
  2. reasoning
  3. overreaching
  4. analyzing
  5. outmaneuvering
  6. reviewing
  7. outsmarting
  8. exploring
Verb
  • Several budget hawks and conservative economists are already balking at the idea – a bad sign when just a few Republicans in either chamber can, until the voting margins change, tank pretty much any measure.
    — Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Many residents are balking at that timing and at Ryan’s lawsuit against Killingly’s wetlands board for rejecting the first version of the plan on July 6.
    — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of balking
Verb
  • Lourdes Bishop Jean-Marc Micas in 2025 decided to cover the facade of the Notre Dame du Rosaire Basilica, reasoning that abuse victims who come to Lourdes for healing shouldn’t be forced to see them.
    — Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Lourdes Bishop Jean-Marc Micas in 2025 decided cover the façade of the Notre Dame du Rosaire Basilica, reasoning that abuse victims who come to Lourdes for healing shouldn’t be forced to see them.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of reasoning
Verb
  • While most judges have categorized such requests as overreaching or for an improper purpose, two out of three judges on the panel ruled that there was nothing out of line about the QueerDoc request.
    — Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Republican lawmakers disagree, saying that the approval is just another example of an overreaching government.
    — Tom Wait, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of overreaching
Verb
  • In addition to analyzing this objective data, leaders listen and observe subjective data of employees’ perceptions.
    — John Radman, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • With initial flight tests complete, engineers have begun analyzing onboard telemetry to gauge the craft’s commercial limits.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of analyzing
Verb
  • The characters' abilities are built around outmaneuvering, not outgunning.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
  • May built one of the most dominant teams in Big Ten history by outmaneuvering his peers in the transfer portal.
    — Austin Meek, New York Times, 30 June 2026
Definition of outmaneuvering
Verb
  • Trump’s Justice Department has been reviewing the pending cases one by one before seeking dismissal.
    — Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Green said the Department of Public Instruction and State Board will engage with CMS leadership to determine next steps and coordinate with other agencies already reviewing or investigating the district.
    — Nora O’Neill October 1, Charlotte Observer, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of reviewing
Verb
  • The problem, according to Hinton, is that humans will no longer be able to rely on outsmarting super-intelligent AI models.
    — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The Fan, the season-long unsub obsessed with one-upping and outsmarting his idol.
    — Joyce Eng, Entertainment Weekly, 23 July 2026
Definition of outsmarting
Verb
  • Last year, a National School Choice Awareness Foundation survey found that 60 percent of parents have considered switching schools for their children, with many exploring models beyond traditional brick-and-mortar schools.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Could this explain why so many of our most reputable creatives are exploring what was once peripheral, spoken of with disbelief, and envisioning it as another possible dimension of existence?
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of exploring
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

second-guesses
second-guessing
secondhand
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Second-guessing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/second-guessing. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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